It was an exciting night as Conductor Patrick Flynn and the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra presented "Music for Hunger -- Hunger for Music" at Saginaw's Temple Theatre on Saturday.

The concert began with a rich romantic interpretation of Stokowski's orchestration of Bach's "Air on a G String." The opening was marred by some intonation problems in the cello section.

As soon as the cellos settled, the string orchestra gave a deeply moving performance.

The orchestra continued with a movement from Copland's "Appalachian Spring." The woodwinds began the work and what a glorious sound they offered. Flynn and the orchestra gave a richly detailed reading that gave a hint of the wonders to come.

Guest artist MiJung Trepanier gave one of the finest performances of the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 23 this reviewer has heard.

Trepanier and Flynn make an amazing Mozart team. The audience heard a brilliant chamber performance that was full of color and texture.

Trepanier's playing was luminous in tone and attentive to musical detail. Her technique and musicianship were of the highest order. The soloist, conductor, and orchestra were mesmerizing as they played off of each other's musical ideas.

Trepanier gave an encore playing Grieg's "Arietta." Let us hope for further performances from Trepanier with the SBSO.

Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade" filled the second half. From the first note of concertmaster Hal Grossman's solo, the audience knew something extraordinary was happening.

It was a tour de force by the orchestra. Flynn made sure that not a detail of the masterpiece was missed.

The individual solos from almost every principal player were brilliant -- one spine-tingling offering after another, leaving the audience on the edge of its seat. Flynn drove the tempos and music-making to the limit.

The immediate standing ovation erupted with shouts and cheers. It was one of the most amazing and inspiring musical evenings this city has heard.